Jestersix

The Mangrove Seahorse Hitching Post

My wife really wants sea horses maybe one day, currently i think my plate is almost over crowded at the moment to take on something else. Look foward to following your progress.
 
Day 5: I estimated about 30 babies after scooping up all that I could find. Since then, I've lost 10 so the population is shrinking. I didn't do any culling for underdeveloped or deformed ones since I don't have the expertise to identify them at the time of birth. They breath a lot of air at the surface as babies but some have problems swallowing too much air and can't regulate their buoyancy. Another challenge I'm having is hatching enough baby brine. I'm using the round hatchery dish which I've had great success with before, but realized that was during the summer and now the weather is much colder. Optimum hatching temp is 80-82º so I now have the hatchery sitting in a bucket of water with a heater.

Acclimation box is getting algae growth so pictures aren't super clear
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Day 5: I estimated about 30 babies after scooping up all that I could find. Since then, I've lost 10 so the population is shrinking. I didn't do any culling for underdeveloped or deformed ones since I don't have the expertise to identify them at the time of birth. They breath a lot of air at the surface as babies but some have problems swallowing too much air and can't regulate their buoyancy. Another challenge I'm having is hatching enough baby brine. I'm using the round hatchery dish which I've had great success with before, but realized that was during the summer and now the weather is much colder. Optimum hatching temp is 80-82º so I now have the hatchery sitting in a bucket of water with a heater.

Acclimation box is getting algae growth so pictures aren't super clear
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That is some OG stuff right there. Congrats.
 
Would they eat Pods like the ones Reef Nutriion sells live in bottles?
I got some tisbe pods but they're really fast to scatter compared to baby brine which hover and are easier for the seahorses to eat. I still have plenty more that I'm supplementing with.

Or decapsulated brine that hatch in tank?
Hm didn't realize there's live decapsulated eggs. I always thought those didn't hatch anymore because of the decapsulating process and ready to feed as is. Could be a good option if I could get some before Friday when I leave for 4 days.
 
Welcome to my world of brine shrimp hatching. Might need two or three hatcheries.

If you end up selling these I would be interested in 2-4 if you have them. Good luck!

Or since I’m already doing it i would offer to pick up a few babies when I’m back in town to try and raise them.
 
I got some tisbe pods but they're really fast to scatter compared to baby brine which hover and are easier for the seahorses to eat. I still have plenty more that I'm supplementing with.


Hm didn't realize there's live decapsulated eggs. I always thought those didn't hatch anymore because of the decapsulating process and ready to feed as is. Could be a good option if I could get some before Friday when I leave for 4 days.
You can decapsulate yourself, and in fact I think it's pretty hard to buy decapsulated that are still viable. There's a couple vendors, but most aren't.

If you Google you can find the process, but it's basically:
1. Float in aerated RO for awhile to hydrate the eggs
2. Toss the eggs into a bleach water mixture until the shell disappears (they turn orange)
3. Pour through a sieve
4. Rinse thoroughly, float in prime
5. Use or store in a super high salinity batch of water (brine).

Here's what ChatGPT says, which looks pretty accurate to me (https://chatgpt.com/share/6749133a-8304-8012-87e9-74d79c3b5db4). The storage info is wrong though. I don't think you can/should dry them. My understanding was you need to store them in brine water.

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Decapsulating brine shrimp eggs removes the hard outer shell (cyst) while preserving the viability of the nauplii for hatching or direct feeding. Here's how to do it:

Materials Needed:

1. Brine shrimp eggs (cysts)


2. Bleach (unscented, non-gel, sodium hypochlorite 5-6%)


3. Dechlorinator (sodium thiosulfate solution or similar)


4. Fine mesh sieve (e.g., 100–200 microns)


5. A container (glass or plastic, avoid metal)


6. Air pump and air stone (optional but recommended for mixing)


7. Cold freshwater for rinsing




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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Hydrate the Eggs

Place the eggs in freshwater and let them hydrate for about 1–2 hours. This helps soften the cysts for more effective decapsulation.


2. Prepare the Bleach Solution

Mix one part bleach with one part water in your container.


3. Add the Eggs to the Bleach

Transfer the hydrated eggs to the bleach solution. Gently aerate the mixture or stir continuously for even exposure.


4. Monitor the Color Change

The cysts will change color from brown to orange, indicating the decapsulation process. This usually takes 2–5 minutes. Do not exceed this time to avoid killing the nauplii.


5. Stop the Decapsulation

Immediately pour the mixture into a fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold, running freshwater. This removes the bleach and halts the reaction.


6. Dechlorinate the Eggs

Submerge the rinsed eggs in a solution of dechlorinator mixed with freshwater for 1–2 minutes.


7. Final Rinse

Rinse the eggs again with freshwater to ensure no residual chemicals remain.


8. Store or Hatch

You can either:

Store the decapsulated eggs: Spread them out on a non-stick surface, allow them to dry, and store them in an airtight container.

Hatch immediately: Place them in a brine shrimp hatching setup with saltwater and aeration.




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Notes:

Decapsulated eggs cannot survive for long without water or proper storage. Dry thoroughly if storing.

Decapsulated eggs are non-buoyant and will sink in saltwater. Use aeration to keep them suspended if hatching.
 
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